Washing and drying machine



-A.`C. WHEELOCK. WASHING AND DRYINGMACHNE.`

APPLICATION FILED Nov'. I9, I92o.

Zf-J

non o WITNESS INVENTOR ATTORNEY A. C. .WHEELOCK.

WASHINGAND DRYING MACHINE; APPL|cAT|oN flLED Nov.19 |920.

1,413,882; l Pand Apr. 25, w22.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

WITNESS, A INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

UNITED 'rss 4fArgletlv'r orifice.

ARTHUR CI., WHEELOCK, F OAKLAN'DyCALIFORNIA.

To all whomtmay con-cern.'

L Be itknown that I, ARTHUR C. VVHEF.-

oCK, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Oakland, county of Alameda, v and State of California, have invented a new and useful Washing and Drying Ma.

chine, of which the."following is a specification.

My invention relates to a washing machine ofthe rotating cylinder type which may be use d for drying the articles operated upon as well as washing them.

An object of the invention is to provide a laundering machine'of the type mentionel in which the cylinder is adapted to4 beyrotat.-

,ed both for thedrying and washing purposes.V

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing and drying "machine in which the cylinder will be caused to' rotate Aonly when it properly occupies either the" drying or washing positions.

.A further object `of thefinvention isto provide a machine in which the cylinder during the drying operation will be' rotated at a'much greater speed than during the washingA operation. v

lA still further object and one of the most important of the invention is to pro! vide a machine in which the cleansing liquid will lbe caused to How through the cylinder 1n a manner such as will enable w the articles therein to be most effectively washed at a minimum and energy.

. The invention possesses otherobjects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with expenditure of time the foregoing, will be set forth in the following descriptionV of, the preferred 'form of 40 my invention which is illustrated in the .drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is. to be understood that I do not limit myself to-sthe showing made by the said drawings and description.

as I may adopt variations lof the preferred form within the scope of, my invention as set forth in-the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of the machine showing' the cylinder inthe washing position. Y

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 ofv Figure l', the removable rack shown in the succeeding figure being indicated in dotted lines. l

rotating the cylinder at a greater speed 1n one posltion of suspenslon than'in another, means for retardlnggthe speed of ro- Ving throu h said end wall.

vcylinder 'is formed with perforated side WASHING AND DRYING MAcnINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 25, 1922, Application lledA November 19, 1920. Serial No. 425,163.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the `re' movable rack.

Briefly expressed themachine in its present embodiment comprises a tank in e which the cleansing liquid is adapted to be contained, a cylinder arranged in the tank and rotatable on ayertical axis, suitable means `for holding the cylinder suspended in the tank at different heights, means for tation of the cylinder as it is moved from one position to another, means for movinwjv" the cylinder from one position to another, and means for locking the cylinder `when properly positioned and for causing said cylinder rotating means to -be driven only when the cylinder is so positioned. The` cylinder as here shown in general termsy comprises perforated side wallsa substan- 'tially imperforate'bottom end wall, and a tubular perforated conduit. concentricallyr arranged within the cylinder and extend- 80 A detai ed description of my invention follows:

The machine as here illustrated comprises a cylindrical tank 2 having an vopening 3 at the top thereof preferably provided Withfa suitable cover 4/Which may be removed when A access to the interior of the tank is desired. Arranged within the tank 2 and preferably suspended fromthe spider 5, in a manner which will presently be described,' isa vre-v ceptacle 'or cylinder 7 adapted to rotate .about a vertical axis. and arrangedI to hold'- the articles that are to be washed or dried, during the operation of the machine. The

95. walls 8 and a bottom end wall 9 whichA are Y spacedfrom theside walls 12 and bottom lplate 13 of the tank respectively. The

upper end of the cylinder isformed open so that the clothes or dishes to be operated upon may be readily inserted into or re' moved from-the cylinder at this end.

Means are provided for -causing practif cally all of the cleansing liquid'to' enter the Y cylinder adjacent the axis of rotation there; of. In this manner duri-ng the rotation of the cylinderleach particle of liquid therein may attain the greatest possible centrifugalforce for a given speed and diameter of lthe.` cylinder by thetime said particles reach the rim or side walls 8 thereof; therefore Vsince during the rotation of the cylinder the clothes therein adhere to the rim and since as is well known the cleansing of the clothes depends to a great extent upon the force with which the liquid is drawn through them, the efficiency permittedby a.cylinder constructed in accordance with my invention will be readily apparent. ln accordance with the foregoing the end wall 9 preferably at its center, is formed with an orifice`14 through which the liquidY from the tank is drawn into. the cylinder. Aarranged within the cylinder' over the orifice 14 and extending upwardly practically to the top thereof is a tubular conduit 16 through the perforations '1T of whicli'the liquid entering the orifice passes directly into the cylinder.. As will be noted by referring to Figure 1 the liquid after being forced through. the clothes and walls 8 passes downwardly in the tank between the tank vand cylinders side walls, and thence along the tank bottom into the conduit 16. It will thus be seen that the liquid has a comparatively smooth 'and unobstructed path, and since the perforated condultexltends practically the full length of the cylinder, the liquid will be distributed `uniformly throughout the latter. h'

I In the present embodiment of the invention the cylinder is adapted to rotate at two different heights with respect to the tank; at the lower height vor position, which it shown occupying in Figure 1, the cylinder isl adapted to be immersed in the cleansing liquid so that the washing operation may be effected; in the upper position however, the cylinder is withdrawn from the liquid so as to permit the drying operation, the cylinder in the latter position being arranged to rotate at a very much greater speed than in the former.' Suitable means are therefore provided for properly suspending the cylinder, moving it to the di'erent positions, rotating it at the proper speeds. and other 'more or less necessary mechanism which will be hereinafter described.-

Fixed to the upper end of the cylinder and conduit by a web -17 or other` suitable means is a shaft 18 provided at its upper extremity with a Harige 19 which engages a bearing member 21 formed at the lower end of a spindle 22. |The latter iS slidably held in the spider--'arranged over the tank opening 3, and-is formed with a toothed edge' or 'rack 23 which is-engaged by a segmental gear 24 also mountedl on spider 5.- Secured tothe shaft 26 of the gear is a handle 27 by which-the gear may be rotated to effect the raising or lowering of the spindle and de pending mechanism. The spindle is further provided with a pair of verticallyA spaced notches 28 and 30which are adapted to be engaged one at a time by a suitable locking member, such as the spring pressed dog 29,

rimessa in order to lock the cylinder `in its upper or lower position. l

rl`he cylinder is held against lateral dis*v placement at its lower end by means of anv arbor 31 which is secured tothe tank bottom and iournaled in a bearing 32 supported in.

the conduit 16. Fixed to the'shaft 18 are a pairofbevel gears 33 and 34 which are spaced apart vertically so that they may mesh with pinion gears 36 and 37respectively when the cylinder is in the drying or washing position as the case may be. The

gear 34, with which the cylinder isgrotated when the latter is in its drying position. is considerably Smaller than the gear 3 3 with which the cylinder is rotated in the-washing operation, thereby enabling the cylinder to rotate at a comparatively high rate of speed 'during the drying operation.l

ably formed of a somewhat Aresilient mate rial, which is adapted to be frictionally engaged by the relatively stationary spring arms 39 when the cylinder is moved from one position to another. rlhe arms 39 are preferably curved as indicated in Figurel so that the rotative movement of the cylinder may be arrested gradually. I

The pinion gears 36 and 37 are fixed on a shaft 41 mounted in'a frame 42 which is suitably secured to the tank. The shaft 41 preferably extends through the Wallofl the tankv and is connected vby a belt' 44 and pulleys 45 and 46 to the shaft 48 of a motor' 49.

Means are also included -for causing the cylinder rotating means to be' impelledonly when the cylinder properly occupies either the washing or drying position.' Preferably formed in conjunction with the locking dog 29 is a switch 51 suitably arranged in the vmotor circuit 52. The switch is provided with-two terminals 53 and 54 which can only be bridged by an insulated conductor 55, provided on the dog when the latter is 'engaged in one of the locking notches provided in the spindle 22.

To change the cylinder from the washing to the diryingfpositionv it is .only necessary to withdraw the'dog 29 from the notch 28 ,',rotate the handle 27 so as to raise the cylindery until the dog is permitted to enter the notch 3Q. To move .the cylinder from the drying to washingposi'tion it is merely necessary to manipulate the said members in the reverse order. j v

Should it be desired to use the machine for the purpose of washing dishes' or the like a lsuitable .rack 5,6 may be removably placedwithin the cylinder. The rack as here shown is formed in segmental sections 57, 58, 59, and 60, in o rder that the rack may be readily inserted in the cylinder. The sections are indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2.

I claim: v

.1..In a machine of the class described, a

cylinder Aadapted to rotate about a vertical axis, 'means 'for moving said cylinder vertically to occupy different -predetermined p0- sitions, means for rotating said cylinder in said positions, and electrical connections for tions to another.

said rotating means adapted to be held inoperatively disposed when said cylinder is removed from said positions. l

2: In a machine of the class described, a cylinder adapted to rotate about-a vertical axis and tobe moved axially to occupy different positions, means for rotating said cylinder in said positions, electrical connections 4.for said rotating meansadapted to be held inoperatively disposed when said cylinder -is removed from said positions, and

means for arresting the rotation of said cylinder as it moves from one of said posi- 3.y In a machine of the class described, a

i tank, a cylinder arranged in said. tank and adapted to occupy diii'erent predetermined positions, with respect thereto, means for rotating said cylinder in saidpositions, a source of ,electricl power for actuating said rotating means, and means for simultaneously locking said cylinder in said positions means with said source of power.

, 4. In a machine 4oi. the class described, a

tank, 'a vertically disposed spindle slidably supported therein -and provided with a pair of vertically spaced locking. portions, acylinder arranged in said' tank and rotatablysuspendedfrom s aid spindle, a locking member, means for moving said spindle vertically whereby said locking member may engage in one or the other of said lockingportions, .driving connections for said cylinder whereby it may be rotated at a'higher speed in-its vupper position than in its'lo'wer one,-asource of electric power forl actuating said driving connections, and electrical connections cooperating vvith said locking member whereby said driving connections will be unactuated except when said locking member isengage'd in one of said locking portions.

5. In a machine of the character described,

atank, a cylinderarranged4 in said tank and Wheels and operatively connecting said rotating adapted-to be moved vertically with respect thereto, an anti-friction bearing member adjacent the upper portion ofsaid tank from which said cylinder is suspended for nota-n tion abouta vertical axis, a tub concentril'means for rotating thecylinderat a greater speed inone position of suspension than in another, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the cylinder as itis moved from one position to another, means for moving the cylinder from one position to another, and mean'sfor locking lthe cylinder when properly positioned and for `causing said cylinder rotating means to be driven only when the cylinder is sopositioned.

pended for rotation about a vertical axis, driven wheels ofdifl'erent size fixed for ro-Y v7. In a machine of the character described, a tank, av cylinder arranged. in Asaid tank, a .bearing from which saidcylinder is Sustation with said cylinder, a driving member,

and means for moving said cylinder and Wheels axially Awhereby said driving `meln ber may alternately engage `said driven 8. In a machine of the character described,

` a tank, a cylinder arranged within said tank,-

an anti-friction. ,bearing `irom which said vertical axis, means for moving said'bearing vertically to vary the position of said cylinder with respect to the tank, a drive'member, a pair of different' sized driven wheels 'fixed for rotation with said cylinder adapted to be alternately engaged by said drive melnber as said c linder. is moved from-one position to anot er, and motive means for said drive'member adapted `to actuate said member onl when one fof said wheels is enga edt erewith. v Y

n testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this lst day of November, 1920.

' In presence of-A- i Q L. L. M. Susann'.

ARTHUR c'.

cylinder is supported for rotation about a Y 

